It’s a miracle, Pittsburgh!
The super-popular holiday pop-up bar Miracle will be back for a third year this holiday season, gracing Pittsburghers with lots of Christmas cheer in a brand-new location.
Starting on Friday, November 23, Miracle on Liberty will pop up at 705 Liberty Avenue, in what was once Katie’s Candy Store.
Spencer Warren, a cocktail consultant and owner of The Warren downtown, is spearheading the local effort this year, as he has since the first Miracle in Pittsburgh opened in 2016. “It’s a true pop-up this year, which means we have to build everything – we have to build out the entire bar,” Warren says. “It will take up about 10 days to build everything, because that’s all we have. Well, technically, we only have nine days.”
What can you expect when the pop-up bar opens its doors? Garlands, gift-wrapped walls, ornaments galore, and tinsel all over. “It will be like Christmas threw up everywhere,” Warren says. The bar will use many of the same decorations as last year, but will be adding even more to the mix. Starting in November, they’ll be taking donations for Christmas decorations to use this year, and are asking guests to donate everything from vintage decorations to Santa animatronics.
“We get old decorations, we get new stuff. We want to keep increasing the donations that we get every year so that we can build on what we’ve had before, and keep making it even better,” says Warren.
While the abundant decorations may be the big draw (and, one of the best Instagram shots you’ll get all year), the cocktail menu is worthy of a lot of love, too. While you’ll recognize some of the same names as previous years, like the Snowball Old Fashioned, the Run Run Rudolph, and the Yippie Ki Yay Mother F****r, there will also be new additions, like the Christmas Carol Barrel, a pumpkin pie-inspired rum cocktail, and the Koala-La La La, La La La La, a gin cocktail with eucalyptus syrup served with a novelty koala toy.
Additionally, Warren says that the bar will not only boast new glassware for the cocktails this year, but they’ll also be selling the glassware directly to patrons.
The concept for Miracle was created five years ago at the New York City cocktail bar Mace. Over the years, the Miracle concept has expanded, and this year, there will be more than 80 Miracle pop-up bars around the world. The first Miracle pop-up in Pittsburgh was located in the former Dreams Ice Cream space downtown, and last year’s location was the Original Oyster House in Market Square.
As in previous years, this year’s Miracle on Liberty will once again raise money for 412 Food Rescue. Last year, Warren says, the bar raised $15,000 for the local organization through the pop-up’s proceeds, and Warren hopes to increase the number of donations this season.
The Miracle pop-up bar will open on Friday, November 23, and will run through New Year’s Eve.
The full 2018 cocktail menu is below:
COCKTAILS
Christmopolitan
Vodka, Elderflower, Dry Vermouth, Spiced Cranberry Sauce, Rosemary, Lime, Absinthe Mist
Snowball Old Fashioned
Butterscotch Rye, Spiced Demerara, Wormwood Bitters, Orange Zest
Bad Santa (served hot)
Apple Cider, Applejack, Manzanilla Sherry, Lemon, Cinnamon Syrup, Popcorn & Bacon Butter, Baked Apple Bitters
Christmas Carol Barrel
Aged Rum, Aquavit, Amaro, Pumpkin Pie, Demerara Syrup, Lime, Vanilla, Angostura Bitters
Koala-La La La, La La La La
Gin, Pine, Dry Vermouth, Lime, Eucalyptus Syrup, Orange Bitters
Gingerbread Flip
Bourbon, Gingerbread Syrup, Elemakule Tiki Bitters, Whole Egg, Nutmeg
Run Run Rudolph
Prosecco, Gin, Mulled Wine Puree, Lemon, Cane Syrup
Yippie Ki Yay Mother F****r!
Sweet Potato Barbados Rum, Cachaça, Trinidad Over Proof Rum, Dry Curacao, Marshmallow Orgeat, Lime
Jingle Balls Nog
Cognac, Pedro Ximenez Sherry, Brown Butter, Cinnamon, Cherry, Vanilla, Almond Milk, Cream, Sugar, Egg, Nutmeg
And A Partridge In A Pear Tree
Reposado Tequila, Pear Brandy, Mezcal, Spiced Demerara Syrup, Lime, Egg White, Club Soda, Angostura Bitters, Cinnamon
Nice Shot
Rum, Peppermint, Chocolate
Naughty Shot
Bourbon, Cinnamon
Follow Miracle on Instagram for the latest updates.
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Sounds fun
Can’t qait to go again! As I’ve told all the pop ups though- please consider earlier opening hours! Like 3pm or so on a daily basis- us food service workers that work early morning hours and get out of work at 2pm would like to go for after work drinks at the pop ups but can’t always still around 2 hours after work to wait for you to open!